Vendrame P. R. S., Brito O. R., Guimaraes M. F., Martins E. S., Becquer Thierry. (2010). Fertility and acidity status of latossolos (oxisols) under pasture in the Brazilian Cerrado. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias, 82 (4), p. 1085-1094. ISSN 0001-3765.
Titre du document
Fertility and acidity status of latossolos (oxisols) under pasture in the Brazilian Cerrado
Vendrame P. R. S., Brito O. R., Guimaraes M. F., Martins E. S., Becquer Thierry
Source
Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias, 2010,
82 (4), p. 1085-1094 ISSN 0001-3765
The Cerrado region, with over 50 million hectares of cultivated pasture, provides 55% of Brazilian beef production. Previous investigations have shown that about 70-80% of this pasture is affected by some kind of degradation, leading to low productivity. However, until now, few surveys have been carried out on a regional scale. The aim of the present work is both to assess the fertility and acidity levels of Cerrado soils under pasture and compare the variability of the soils characteristics on a regional scale. Two soil depths were sampled in different places within the studied area: (1) a surface horizon (0.0-0.2 m) in order to evaluate its fertility and acidity status for pasture, and (2) a subsurface horizon (0.6-0.8 m), used for classification. Most of soils had levels of nutrients below the reference values for adequate pasture development. Whatever the texture, about 90% of soils had low or very low availability of phosphorus. Only 7 to 14% of soils had low pH, high exchangeable aluminum, and aluminum saturation above the critical acidity level. Except for nitrogen, no significant difference was found between Latossolos Vermelhos and Latossolos Vermelho-Amarelos.
